Remote Access Avatar

I want small avatar that appears to represent me in virtual worlds when I am using remote access viewers such as Touch Life on iPod/iPhone, Ajax Life or SLim. It should indicate I am present but with limited communications means. A floating text box provides up to two lines of status, and the screen on the front can potentially stream web information or real time web cam feeds.

The design is based on the design of the Personal Satellite Assistant (PSA) from research at NASA Ames – texture used in virtual worlds with permission from NASA colleagues. WE use this design for other robot greeters and status indicators in the I-Rooms in Second Life and Opensim. It is a design for an assistant robot for use in the International Space Station.

The avatar design makes use of a small avatar shape, but this still shows inS econd Life up to Viewer 1.23. Second Life Viewer 2.0 onwards introduces a means to add an “alpha” (tranparency layer) to dosy parts, meaning the human shaped elements can be completely hidden. Of course it will not look so good to users of old viewers, so take care what the (visible to them) underlying avatar looks like!